Toll-free Diwali
Toll workers in Fatehabad of Agra–Lucknow Expressway found a unique way to protest as well as spread some festive joy this Diwali.
In a gesture of revengeful vengeance, toll workers offered "free toll" to all vehicles passing through for nearly 10 hours. Their motive? To protest against the meagre Diwali bonus of Rs 1,100.
This unplanned toll-free extravaganza caused a huge loss to the toll operator.
Shri Sign & Datar Company, which had only taken over the management in March, attempted to cut their losses by deploying staff from other toll plazas, but the ‘protesters’ were having none of it.
Authorities, perturbed with the situation, arrived to clear this impasse. By midnight, the workers had secured promises for a neat 10 per cent salary hike, and normal operations resumed. After all, nothing says "Happy Diwali" like a spontaneous toll holiday and a modest pay raise.
Soan papdi mutiny
Diwali in India means lights, sweets, and... soan papdi re-gifting season. But this year, a factory’s festive gesture turned into a sweet disaster.
According to a viral post on X, a factory decided to gift boxes of soan papdi to its workers instead of handing out the usual Diwali bonus.
What followed was a full-blown soan papdi mutiny.
Employees, clearly done with the flaky treat that’s been passed around more times than a family WhatsApp forward, reportedly dumped all the boxes right outside the factory gate.
A viral video shows workers tossing the golden boxes like they were participating in an Olympic event, “Discus Throw: Soan Papdi Edition.” Internet users couldn’t resist joining the fun (and debate).
Some defended the company, saying, “At least they gave something. My office doesn’t even give me a holiday on Diwali.” Others sided with the workers, adding, “Every Diwali, I get soan papdi from five people and return it to six.”
While bonuses may vanish and sweets may differ on Diwali, the one constant in every Indian household is an unopened box of soan papdi… quietly waiting for its next victim.
Barasat cop turns ‘vlogger’
In Bengal’s Barasat, Kali Puja saw more than just lights, idols, and late-night traffic — it saw the local police turning into content creators.
After journalists boycotted the Barasat district police’s media passes alleging interference with press freedom, the station’s inspector-in-charge, Mainak Bandyopadhyay, decided to fill the void.
Wearing his uniform and armed with a microphone, he was spotted walking the streets, interviewing visitors, and recording “ground reports” about traffic management — becoming Barasat’s most unlikely influencer.
The move came amid outrage over police restrictions and barricades that left National Highway 12 choked and locals fuming.
What was meant to be festive crowd control turned into gridlock, and when the media tried to report it, their access was curbed.
So, the journalists protested. And the cop? He tried to become a journalist.
A video of the “blogger cop” went viral, drawing both laughter and disbelief online.
Moral support pillar
Somewhere in Patna’s Ashok Rajpath, a lone pillar stands tall, unbothered, and useless.
A viral video shows the pillar positioned under the city’s new double-decker flyover, except for one small detail...it supports absolutely nothing.
Since the flyover opened in June 2025, it has already earned a reputation for developing cracks after rain. Now, this pillar has joined the list of structural mysteries that even top engineering brains would skip.
Engineers are reportedly mum, and no official explanation has been confirmed.
On X, one user wrote, “This pillar is for moral support.” Another defended it with: “It’s not an engineer’s mistake, it’s a design.”
Some users suggest the pillar might be a leftover from an older construction plan.
Another said, “The bridge doesn’t trust the pillar”.
The Telegraph Online could not verify the current plight of the bridge.
Filmy Chaos in Bangkok
An Indian man caused a mini tamasha in Bangkok’s Siam Square on Monday after brandishing what looked like a pistol but turned out to be a lighter.
He had locals and tourists doing double-takes as he waved the gun-shaped object around, shouting abuses and dancing on the road.
Footage shows him sitting on the ground while security guards approach him, trying to convince him to “uth jao, bhai,” but he refuses, apparently more interested in acting than complying.
When officers tried to calm him, he allegedly threatened them with his lighter, proving once and for all that Bollywood-style drama doesn’t always stay on screen.
Sahil was taken to Pathum Wan police station, where he was charged with threatening behaviour and causing a public disturbance. Police suspect that his 'heroic antics' were fuelled by hallucinations from cannabis consumption.
In the widely circulated video, he can be seen crying and pleading for the police while sitting on the road before eventually apologising.